Internet/Telephone Connections for home (Dallas, Fort Worth: new house, closing, live)

[Robzherenow]

I will be closing on a house in 10-12 days and wanted to find out whats the best (less costly but reliable) internet service (and telephone) for home use. I will be having a home office so I wanted to start looking into this now so I can order the installation the day after closing. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

[Spree]

Is verizon FIOS available in your area?

[mysterymachinebl]

Check the prices for Time-Warner....I know they do have bundles for internet/telephone.

Time Warner Cable - Dallas Texas: Cable Television, Road Runner, Digital Phone, PayXpress

[scyogi]

Our experience with Time Warner was very short lived--but DISASTEROUS. I use the term 'idiots' loosely with them. AWFUL customer service.
We are now with AT&T--we do a bundle pckg. which is cable, DSL (really fast will be my technical term for it), phone service, and cell. The web has all the pricing. Overall satisfaction is good.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by Robzherenow

I will be closing on a house in 10-12 days and wanted to find out whats the best (less costly but reliable) internet service (and telephone) for home use. I will be having a home office so I wanted to start looking into this now so I can order the installation the day after closing. Thank you in advance for your feedback!

If Verizon fios is availble, I would go with that. They have a bundle package for DSL, phone, and TV. Fios is a really good quality high definition cable. You can probably include a cell phone with it too.

Verizon's fios cable isn't available where I live and I'm stuck paying nearly as much just for Direct TV, as I would for one of Verizon's packages. The real kicker, is I already have a Verizon DSL line, and phone.

[fratermus]

Originally Posted by scyogi

Our experience with Time Warner was very short lived--but DISASTEROUS. I use the term 'idiots' loosely with them. AWFUL customer service.

I am in the unenviable position of having to get TW broadband at the new house (closing today, yay!). No DSL, fios, etc. is available. Luckily, I normally don't have to call support on most 'net-related issues. As long as I can get an IP at the end of the cat5 I'm ok.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by fratermus

I am in the unenviable position of having to get TW broadband at the new house (closing today, yay!). No DSL, fios, etc. is available. Luckily, I normally don't have to call support on most 'net-related issues. As long as I can get an IP at the end of the cat5 I'm ok.

Congratulations on your escrow closing!

Thankfully, I don't usually have to call customer support for net related issues either. My DSL has only gone out twice.......and, it was because a phone guy/gal cut my DSL line by accident.

[_Charles_]

What is the local phone company in DFW? I am thinking it would be SBC - correct? I know SBC offers DSL and wireless - service packages.

[Willys]

SBC, as an AT&T subsidiary way back when, chose to establish phone service in those established communities where typically they could lay square grids to emerging growth. They left the outlying areas to mom/pop telcos to fill in.

Most of Dallas and Fort Worth, the primary area codes of 214 and 817, are SBC/ATT. Much of the 972 area code is that fill in mom/pop telco, Verizon, fomerly known as GTE. Those areas outside of the Dallas city boundaries and Fort Worth city boundaries, including the mid-cities are Verizon, typically. Your area may vary.

Only some of the Verizon territory offers the FiOS, fiber optic phone/broadband/video service. They are converting their service areas throughout the country to the FiOS but will take time and lots of cash.

I understand Verizon is now offering this update...

Dear Valued Verizon Online Customer,

This email is to let you know that we have revised the Verizon Internet Access Service Terms of Service (“TOS”). Please visit Verzion Online or look under the Announcements section of Verizon Central to review the revised TOS, as well as the announcement summarizing the primary changes. These changes will be effective as of the date set forth on the announcement. We encourage you to review these changes as they affect your rights and obligations under our TOS.

8.4 Conversion from DSL Service to Verizon Fios Internet Service. At such time as Verizon is able to provision the Service utilizing fiber optic technologies, we may in our discretion terminate your DSL Service and no longer make DSL service available to your location. In cases of such termination, we will offer to you Verizon Fios Internet Service and we will disclose to you applicable rates and additional terms, if any, and such rates and terms may differ from the DSL Services provided under this Agreement.

[south carolina]

We've had FiOS for 7 months now and are about to do something I never thought I would do--willingly change to TWC. FiOS is great when it works. But about once a month cable or internet goes down. You will wait over an hour on hold for service. If you're without service for a few days, that's no big deal for them. They will send someone out in a few days or mail (??) you a part that probably won't solve the problem. Once you talk to a live person, you will find them to be invariably very polite and so willing to commiserate with you about how messed up Verizon is. Billing is also a monthly adventure. You might get double billed. You might have to go through your bank to prove that you paid your bill then spend an hour on the phone wiht them before they acknowledge that you really did paid them on time and graciously agree to "waive" the late fee.

The phone service is very reliable--we've thoroughly tested it on hold with Verizon customer service.